By Ana María Ramos
El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO.- Two years ago, the life of civil engineer Ashley Morales changed radically when she was elected to the select group of directors of the United States Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), a giant step that took her by surprise, since she applied to please her proposer, not thinking that they would choose the "little girl from the Dominican Republic".
Years of academic training, between Dominican and foreign universities, have led her to accumulate a strong professional profile, which, added to her passion for the seismic and geological events of our planet, led her to occupy a seat in the prestigious international organization.
This young woman, who describes herself as passionate about science, is a firm believer that education is a means to change lives. “I believe in people, I believe that the world can be transformed into a better place, I believe that passion drives you and that your journey through life should be one that generates change,” the executive director of the Center for Research on Resilience and Multi-Hazard Risks (CIRRMA-ONESVIE-PUCMM) told El Inmobiliario.
Another characteristic of her is that she lives her chosen career with passion. That's why her days are anything but routine. "Every day of mine is an experience, and some aren't so easy, some are pleasant, others are learning experiences, but Ashley is a woman full of stories, full of lessons, and who has so much to offer," she points out.
His love for physics, mathematics, and seismology dates back to his time at the San Juan Bautista school in Santo Domingo, where he completed part of his studies, in addition to the stories his grandmother told him about earthquakes and tsunamis.
"Then that girl, who liked physics and mathematics, understood that she could contribute to making her country a safer place to protect it from those tsunamis that my grandmother told me about.".
In Ashley's home, values were taught by example. Despite being an only child, high standards dominated her upbringing, and work was the only thing that permeated her home. Her father, Bruno Morales, constantly told her that he didn't have a fortune to leave her, but he did have the most valuable thing that no one could take away: her education.
Engineer Ashley Morales. David Valentín/El Inmobiliario.
“I was taught that I couldn’t be mediocre, that I had to strive for excellence in everything I did. So, those values of honesty, integrity, excellence, respect, where my word was all I had, and that whatever I handed over with my name on it was a school assignment, or a great thesis, that was what spoke for me when I wasn’t there,” he states.
As the class prodigy, she was expected to help her classmates with their schoolwork. Her mother, Helvia Cartagena, recounts that on more than one occasion she came to pick her up from her first school in the Herrera neighborhood and found her helping to maintain discipline in the classroom.
A dream
From childhood, Ashley Morales knew she would choose a profession that would leave a lasting mark. In fact, until she turned 16, she cherished the dream of becoming the first female president of the Dominican Republic.
This is how she became involved, creating and designing the career that has taken her to many countries. She graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), belonging to the first graduating class of engineers from the Santo Domingo campus, where she was the first Geology teaching assistant.
A path through challenges
As a woman, Morales had to face criticism from those who questioned her career path. “That’s a career for dogs”; “you’re going to do badly”; “you’re not going to amount to anything there”; “I wouldn’t let my daughter study that, I’d change careers if I were you,” were some of the phrases she heard, although that never made her doubt herself.
She traveled extensively as a volunteer in organizations such as the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, the now-defunct Office of State Works Supervising Engineers (OISOE), among others, preparing to cultivate her future in fertile ground.
She also worked as a receptionist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), where she learned about the processes of multilateral organizations.
One mentor who encouraged her was a Cuban professor who showed her how to connect civil engineering with geology and work to ensure that cities and communities suffer less from earthquakes and floods.
The scholarship that changed his life
Ashley Morales's prolific life has not been a product of chance. After completing a master's degree in Construction Management at Intec University, she applied for a scholarship to pursue a master's degree in the United States, where she was accepted.
During my first semester, a professor mentioned in class that anyone interested in earthquakes should register with EERI, as it is the world's largest organization in that field.
He enrolled without hesitation, assuming that this step would strengthen his purpose of returning to the Dominican Republic to help raise knowledge in the seismic area.
In 2016, he returned to the country with a completely different perspective on life. He formed the first EERI student group with his students from PUCMM, offering them the opportunity to participate in competitions with peers from world-renowned universities.
She began to climb the ladder within the organization, taking advantage of every opportunity, until she reached the position of director of EERI that she currently holds, which makes her the first Latina to achieve this.
Ashley Morales speaks five languages. Based on her experience, she advises young people to surround themselves with mentors, study, and travel as the main steps to playing a significant role in the country's history.
